Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

My neighbor dropped off a bunch of overripe bananas at my door last summer with a note that said "before these become banana bread." I'd been intimidated by banana bread for years—convinced I'd either end up with a dense brick or something too sweet. But standing in my kitchen with those spotty yellow bananas in hand, I decided to stop overthinking it. That first loaf, studded with chocolate chips and walnuts, came out warm and fragrant, and I realized the secret wasn't technique at all. It was just letting the bananas do their thing.

I baked this for my book club one rainy Tuesday, and three people asked for the recipe before they'd even finished their slice. One member said it tasted like a hug, which sounds cheesy until you're the one bringing it to a table and watching faces light up. That's when banana bread stopped being about using up fruit and became about creating a moment.

Ingredients

• 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup): Use ones with brown spots on the skin—they're sweeter and easier to mash, and they'll give you that banana flavor that makes people close their eyes when they eat it.
• 115 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled: Melting it first means it blends seamlessly into the batter and creates that tender crumb.
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) milk: This keeps the bread moist without making it gummy—I learned that the hard way with my first loaf.
• 2 large eggs: They bind everything together and add structure so your bread doesn't collapse.
• 200 g (1 2/3 cups) all-purpose flour: Don't pack it into the measuring cup; spoon it in and level it off so you're not adding extra flour by accident.
• 150 g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar: This sweetens the bread without making it taste like dessert in a bad way—the bananas do most of the flavor work.
• 1 tsp baking soda: It reacts with the acidity in the bananas to help the bread rise and brown beautifully.
• 1/2 tsp salt: Don't skip this—it makes everything taste more like itself.
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional): I use it almost always; it adds warmth without being obvious.
• 120 g (2/3 cup) semisweet chocolate chips: Use good ones if you can; they melt into pockets of flavor instead of turning gritty.
• 80 g (2/3 cup) chopped walnuts: Toast them lightly first if you want that nutty flavor to really sing.
• 1 tsp vanilla extract: This rounds out the flavors and makes the whole loaf taste more sophisticated than it has any right to.

Instructions

Prepare your pan and oven:

Heat your oven to 175°C (350°F) and grease a 23x13 cm loaf pan with butter or cooking spray, then dust with flour or line with parchment—I prefer parchment because cleanup is instant and nothing sticks. If you're making this on a day when you're running late, this is the step you can do in your sleep.

Mix the dry team:

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until everything is evenly distributed. This is where the magic starts—you're building the structure that will hold everything together.

Combine the wet ingredients:

In another bowl, stir the mashed bananas, melted butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and the eggs are fully incorporated. Don't be shy here; this part needs mixing.

Bring wet and dry together:

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula until just combined—this is the one moment where you need patience and restraint. Overmixing makes the bread tough, so stop as soon as you don't see streaks of flour.

Add the good stuff:

Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts with a few gentle strokes until they're scattered throughout the batter. This is where the bread stops being plain and becomes a treat.

Into the oven:

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top with the back of a spoon so it bakes evenly. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.

Cool with patience:

Let the bread sit in the pan for 10 minutes—this helps it set so it doesn't fall apart when you turn it out. Then transfer it to a wire rack and let it cool completely, even though the smell will make you want to slice into it immediately.

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One Sunday morning, my daughter sat at the kitchen table with a slice of warm banana bread and a glass of milk, and she didn't look at her phone for fifteen minutes straight. That's the kind of food worth making—the kind that makes you slow down without even trying.

Ingredient Swaps That Actually Work

Once you make this recipe once, you'll feel brave enough to play with it. I've swapped the walnuts for pecans on days when I had them on hand, used dark chocolate chips for a less sweet version, and even tried half whole wheat flour for a nuttier crumb. The structure holds up beautifully as long as you keep the bananas, eggs, and butter amounts the same.

Storage and Gifting

This bread keeps beautifully wrapped in foil at room temperature for three days, and it freezes wrapped in plastic wrap for up to three months—which means you can bake it on Sunday and have breakfast sorted for the whole week. I've also learned that wrapping a slice or two in parchment and putting it in a little box makes a gift that feels personal without being fussy.

The Perfect Moment to Serve It

Banana bread is best served warm or at room temperature, with or without butter or honey drizzled on top. It's the kind of food that works at breakfast, as an afternoon snack, or after dinner when you want something sweet but not heavy.

• Warm it gently in a low oven for a few minutes if it's been sitting, and the flavor comes alive again.
• A thin slice with a cup of coffee is the best kind of small moment to give yourself in the middle of a busy day.
• Make two loaves if you're bringing this to a gathering—one rarely survives long enough to take home.

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This recipe proves that the simplest foods, made with care, become the ones people remember. Make it, eat it warm, and maybe leave a loaf on a neighbor's doorstep someday.

Questions & Answers About the Recipe

→ Can I use different nuts instead of walnuts?

Yes, pecans or hazelnuts can be a tasty substitute, providing a similar crunch and flavor profile.

→ How ripe should the bananas be?

Very ripe bananas with brown spots work best for natural sweetness and moist texture.

→ What type of chocolate chips work well?

Semisweet chocolate chips offer a nice balance, but dark chocolate can be used for a richer, less sweet option.

→ How do I know when the bread is baked?

Insert a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter.

→ Can this be made nut-free?

Yes, simply omit the walnuts or substitute with seeds to maintain texture without nuts.